“To what do I owe this pleasure today? Official business?”
Jack smiled, “Ah, Gretchen, can’t a man stop by to say hello to a lovely lady without an ulterior motive?”
I thought this Gretchen was far from lovely. She reminded me of a pug-dog. She even seemed to have a moustache. I immediately felt guilty about my snide thought. Perhaps she was a lovely person.
Gretchen turned red and waved her hand, “Oh, you do know how to flatter, Jack.”
Jack grinned showing all his pearly whites, “I’m here on an errand, but you know how I love to visit. I’ll take the job to see you any day.”
Gretchen positively beamed and I wondered what Jack was up to. This woman was old enough to be his mother.
“So what can I do for you, m’boy?”
Jack fumbled for a scroll of parchment in his pocket and put it on the counter in front of him, “My Master needs this delivered to Mistress Frost.”
“Regular or Express?” Gretchen picked up the parchment.
“Well that’s the thing. It needs to be delivered rather soon … but I was only given enough gold for the Regular …” Jack trailed off.
Gretchen looked at him before patting his hand, “Not to worry m’boy, I’ll give you the Express. Don’t worry about the extra gold.” She gave him a sly smile. I suddenly understood the reason behind Jack’s shameless flirting. He was trying to get faster, cheaper delivery!
“Thank you so much.” Jack’s words dripped with sincerity.
Gretchen’s face was still pink with blush when she bellowed over her shoulder, “RÆVEN!”
The yell caused me to jump and Jack grinned at me when Gretchen wasn’t looking. A moment later this “Ræven” she had called came into view from the adjacent room. I felt my jaw drop.
A beautiful black bird swept into the room with long elegant tail feathers, fluttered above our heads for a moment before lowering next to Gretchen and morphing into the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my entire life. She was slender yet curved graciously with glowing pale skin. Her eyes were cat-like, and a shocking blue that seemed to pierce my very being. She had a heart shaped face with a bob of shiny blue-black hair. Her full lips were currently puckered in a patient yet annoyed fashion. She was shorter than me by perhaps four inches. I guessed she was around the age of sixteen. I burned with jealousy at her perfection, yet I couldn’t stop myself from staring and admiring her.
Gretchen handed Ræven the scroll of parchment, “This is for Mistress Frost. As quick as you can.”
Ræven nodded and grasped the parchment, sweeping from the room without saying a word. I noticed that she was slightly bowlegged, her knees knocking as she walked, and her feet pointed inwards slightly. I thought this reminded me of how a child or infant might walk or stand with their toes pointing towards each other. It seemed as though Ræven wasn’t quite as lithe in her human form. I was sure that I would prefer flying to walking too.
After many thanks to Jack’s dearest Gretchen we emerged from the little mail delivery shop and onto the snow-covered street. Jack shivered and pulled his coat tightly around himself; I smiled, perfectly content.
“You are very mean.” I noted as we continued down the road, I assumed to Jack’s next errand.
Jack grinned, “It’s a tough life.”
“She’s probably in there hyperventilating now.” I smirked.
Jack shrugged, “Well, these things need to be done, kiddo. Not to mention I gained a shiny gold coin as a result of my flirting.”
My mouth opened with a little pop, “You were given enough for an express delivery!”
Jack simply smirked, flipped a gold coin in his hand then pocketed it, quite smug. “Why shouldn’t I keep the difference?” He waved it aside as though he did it all the time, which, I reminded myself, he probably did.
I scowled, and Jack laughed. He knew I wouldn’t tell anyone of course, and he didn’t bother asking me not to mention
Jack smiled, “Ah, Gretchen, can’t a man stop by to say hello to a lovely lady without an ulterior motive?”
I thought this Gretchen was far from lovely. She reminded me of a pug-dog. She even seemed to have a moustache. I immediately felt guilty about my snide thought. Perhaps she was a lovely person.
Gretchen turned red and waved her hand, “Oh, you do know how to flatter, Jack.”
Jack grinned showing all his pearly whites, “I’m here on an errand, but you know how I love to visit. I’ll take the job to see you any day.”
Gretchen positively beamed and I wondered what Jack was up to. This woman was old enough to be his mother.
“So what can I do for you, m’boy?”
Jack fumbled for a scroll of parchment in his pocket and put it on the counter in front of him, “My Master needs this delivered to Mistress Frost.”
“Regular or Express?” Gretchen picked up the parchment.
“Well that’s the thing. It needs to be delivered rather soon … but I was only given enough gold for the Regular …” Jack trailed off.
Gretchen looked at him before patting his hand, “Not to worry m’boy, I’ll give you the Express. Don’t worry about the extra gold.” She gave him a sly smile. I suddenly understood the reason behind Jack’s shameless flirting. He was trying to get faster, cheaper delivery!
“Thank you so much.” Jack’s words dripped with sincerity.
Gretchen’s face was still pink with blush when she bellowed over her shoulder, “RÆVEN!”
The yell caused me to jump and Jack grinned at me when Gretchen wasn’t looking. A moment later this “Ræven” she had called came into view from the adjacent room. I felt my jaw drop.
A beautiful black bird swept into the room with long elegant tail feathers, fluttered above our heads for a moment before lowering next to Gretchen and morphing into the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my entire life. She was slender yet curved graciously with glowing pale skin. Her eyes were cat-like, and a shocking blue that seemed to pierce my very being. She had a heart shaped face with a bob of shiny blue-black hair. Her full lips were currently puckered in a patient yet annoyed fashion. She was shorter than me by perhaps four inches. I guessed she was around the age of sixteen. I burned with jealousy at her perfection, yet I couldn’t stop myself from staring and admiring her.
Gretchen handed Ræven the scroll of parchment, “This is for Mistress Frost. As quick as you can.”
Ræven nodded and grasped the parchment, sweeping from the room without saying a word. I noticed that she was slightly bowlegged, her knees knocking as she walked, and her feet pointed inwards slightly. I thought this reminded me of how a child or infant might walk or stand with their toes pointing towards each other. It seemed as though Ræven wasn’t quite as lithe in her human form. I was sure that I would prefer flying to walking too.
After many thanks to Jack’s dearest Gretchen we emerged from the little mail delivery shop and onto the snow-covered street. Jack shivered and pulled his coat tightly around himself; I smiled, perfectly content.
“You are very mean.” I noted as we continued down the road, I assumed to Jack’s next errand.
Jack grinned, “It’s a tough life.”
“She’s probably in there hyperventilating now.” I smirked.
Jack shrugged, “Well, these things need to be done, kiddo. Not to mention I gained a shiny gold coin as a result of my flirting.”
My mouth opened with a little pop, “You were given enough for an express delivery!”
Jack simply smirked, flipped a gold coin in his hand then pocketed it, quite smug. “Why shouldn’t I keep the difference?” He waved it aside as though he did it all the time, which, I reminded myself, he probably did.
I scowled, and Jack laughed. He knew I wouldn’t tell anyone of course, and he didn’t bother asking me not to mention
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